Since she is clever enough
to bring this to pass, she is clever enough to take care of herself. Without
doubt it was the Danish wizard, and he informed her of some new herb, and she
has gone to fetch it."
After a while, an enchanting smile touched her lips. "Surely, a rose garden is
a fitting place to receive the ambassadors of a lover," she said, and
straightened herself on her rustic throne, sweeping her draperies into more
graceful folds. "Bring them to me here, ladybird. Candida, fetch hither the
lace veil from my bower, and call the other maids as you go, and all the pages
you can find. Since Teboen is not by, I want all of you behind me. I cannot
help it that the Tall One always gives me the feeling of a lamb before a
wolf."
Even had the likeness never occurred to her before, it would not have been
strange if she had thought of it to-day as, followed by the Marshal and
preceded by their fair usher, the old warrior came across the grass to the
little court under the apple tree. The keenness of the hooded eyes that looked
out at her from his grizzled locks, the gleam of the white teeth between his
bearded lips as he greeted her, was unmistakably wolfish. She relapsed into a
kind of lamb-like tremor as she invited them to be seated and commanded the
attendance of her cup-bearer. When she caught sight of the misery of
discomfort in Sebert's frank face, she lost her voice entirely and waited in
utter silence while they drank their wine.
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